Portable ladder



(No Model.)

B. E. SWETT.

PORTABLE LADDER. No. 280,685.

f Hiiiiiiiiiii UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD E. SWVETT, OF BIDDEFORD, MAINE.

PORTABLE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,685, dated July 3, 1883.

Application filed March 6, 1883. (No model.)-

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD E. SwETT, of

' Biddeford, in the county of York and State of posed of two wires, and having its rungs each made up of a coil formed of one of said wires,

and a portion of the other wire passing through said coil.

It also consists in certain details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings hereunto annexed, similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a front view of part of a ladder with one of its rungs in section, to show my improved construction. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view of a ladder illustrating a modification of my invention. Fig. 4 is a side view of the same.

A and B represent, respectively, the two sides of the ladder, preferably made from steel or copper wire, and of any desired thickness. The wire Bin this case will form the upper rungby being formed into a coil, B, with the number of convolutions to correspond with the desired width of the ladder, and having the wire A passed through this coil B, whence the said wire A extends downward the required distance to enable it to form the next rung, A,by its being twisted in a similar manner to the wire B,which wire B in turn passes through the said coil B, the coiling and passing each wire through the coil of the other alternately being repeated as often as is necessary till a ladder of sufficient length is obtained.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown another method of constructing my improved ladder,

which consists in the interposition of a metal tube, 0, between the coil of each rung, and the straight portion of the wire passing through the said tube surrounding the said straight portion and lining the coil., This will give greater strength and stability to the rungs.

My invention may be used for Various purposes where a portable and flexible ladder is required, and may be especially adapted for use as a fire-escape ladder, for which purpose the same may be permanently attached to the side of the house, near the windows thereof, or may be attached to a Windlass or drum by means of loops D or D at its ends, and caused to wind and unwind. upon the same at will by a crank, or in any ordinary or approved manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A ladder having its sides composed of two wires, and having its rungs each com posed partly of a coil formed of one of said wires and partly of a portion of the other wire running through said coil, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A ladder having its sides composed of two wires, and of which each rung is composed of a coil on one wire and a portion of the other wire running through said coil, the rungs and the portions of wire passing through them being formed of one and the other wire alternately, substantially as described.

3. A ladder composed of two wires and a EDWVARD E. SWVETT.

Vitnesses EDWIN U. BLAOKSTONE, I l). OCoNNoR. 

